Vitamin E Status is "Alarming Low" Globally with Insufficient Intake for One Fifth of the Population

DSM Nutritional Products highlights a study in the International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, which established that just 21 percent of the studies of the examined populations globally reach a serum α-tocopherol concentration of ≥30 μmol/L. This is the vitamin E threshold that several studies suggest has fundamental effects on human health.

The research is the first of its kind to review more than 170 existing papers worldwide on studies into vitamin E intake levels and serum concentrations.

 

The findings conclude that vitamin E status is inadequate in substantial parts of the reviewed populations.

 

The study found that vitamin E intake differed regionally. People living in the Middle East and Africa (27 percent) were more likely to be consuming below the recommended daily allowance, but the prevalence was also relatively high in Asia Pacific (16 percent), and Europe (8 percent).

 

Considering the threshold concentration of 30 µmol/L recommended by experts, 27 percent of the American, 80 percent of the Middle East/African, 62 percent of the Asian, and 19 percent of the European populations are below this serum value.

 

Whilst only 21 percent of the total data points included in this global review reach a desirable mean serum concentration of 30 µmol/L or higher. This is because of varying diets and nutrient available around the world.

 

Director of Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University said: “This global assessment of vitamin E status, the first of its kind, is an important step to generate awareness because so many people around the world do not consume recommended amounts of vitamin E.”

 

“An adequate vitamin E intake is needed to maintain the immune system, cognitive function, cardiovascular health and liver function. The findings of the publication suggest that health authorities need to dedicate more attention to the intake, status and role of vitamin E in human health.”

 

As an essential micronutrient, vitamin E protects cell membranes from oxidative damage, including those rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The higher the PUFA intake, the more vitamin E is needed.

 

According to DSM, this study finds vitamin E status to be ‘alarmingly low globally’. Modern changes in diet may be a contributing factors and vitamin E status can also be increased by eating more vegetable oils, green vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grain bread, fortified foods and beverages and dietary supplements.

 

“This comprehensive review of vitamin E dietary intake and serum concentrations demonstrates that the majority of the reported intake values worldwide are below recommended levels.”

 

“Similarly, it shows that a considerable proportion of the global population do not reach the proposed optimal serum concentration for vitamin E,” Szabolcs Péter, MD, PhD, Senior Scientist at DSM, one of the co-authors says.

 

Applying a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 15 mg/day and Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) of 12 mg/day to all populations with a minimum age of 14 years, 82% and 61% of data points were below the RDA and EAR respectively.

 

In addition, the paper reveals that globally 13 percent of the scientific publications indicated serum concentrations below the suggested deficiency threshold concentration of 12 μmol/L, mostly in newborns and children.

 

Senior vice president of Nutrition Science & Advocacy at DSM, Dr Manfred Eggersdorfer, said: “This review is an important step to drive awareness and education on the implications of suboptimal vitamin E status on individual as well as public health, and for the large part of the populations for which data is even lacking.”

 

“There is a strong case for health authorities to dedicate more attention to the role of vitamin E in health care systems and to review recommendations.”